Stacy's Rise Project(TM) returns in Canada to Support Women Entrepreneurs

Applications are open now! Five women-founded businesses will be awarded a $25,000 CAD grant and access to a mentorship program with leadership from PepsiCo Foods Canada and Frito Lay North America

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 9, 2023 /CNW/ - With a long history of empowering women business owners, Stacy's® Pita Chips is proud to continue championing women entrepreneurs through the launch of the 2024 Stacy's Rise Project. Despite there being one million women entrepreneurs in Canada, women-owned businesses only receive four percent of venture capital (VC) funding1. To help them rise this year, the brand has increased the number of Canadian recipients and funding, awarding five founders a $25,000 grant along with mentorship and community resources.

The Stacy's Rise Project opened applications in Canada for the first-time last year, partnering with Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC) to support women founders who are still experiencing a lack of the resources and funding needed to help them rise. In January 2023, the program recognized four Canadian women founders from British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and New Brunswick, enabling them to join the extensive community of Stacy's Rise Project winners in North America.

"There are so many women entrepreneurs who need more opportunities for funding, mentorship and resources. Stacy's Rise Project offers an opportunity to make goals a reality," said Carolyn Simon, founder of Choose Life Foods, Patty Queen, and one of the four Canadian winners of the 2023 Stacy's Rise Project. "Stacy's Rise Project was an unforgettable opportunity for entrepreneurs. From the grant funding to the ongoing mentorship opportunities, being chosen as a Stacy's Rise Project grant recipient was crucial in tackling the challenges of post-pandemic trends and inflation."

Applications for the 2024 Stacy's Rise Project are officially open from now through December 15. Women founders across the U.S. and Canada are encouraged to apply for consideration on the Stacy's Rise website. The ten winners in the U.S. and five winners in Canada will be announced in early 2024 and each will receive a $25,000 grant, mentorship from Frito Lay and PepsiCo leadership and a built-in community of powerful women.

"The Stacy's brand is proud to continue the work we begun last year, in service to women entrepreneurs across Canada," said Jess Spaulding, Chief Marketing Officer at PepsiCo Foods Canada. "We know access to funding and resources can dramatically change the trajectory of these businesses, so this year we're excited to be able to expand the program and provide increased support to five incredibly deserving women founders."

As a woman-founded business that grew from a humble sandwich cart to a household snack brand, Stacy's Pita Chips has invested over $1 million in over 60 women-owned businesses since 2017.

To learn more about the Stacy's Rise Project, how you can apply (or share the application with your favourite woman founder!), visit www.StacysRiseProject.ca.

Stacy's Snacks is one of the many brands that make up Frito Lay North America, the $23 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito Lay at the corporate website, www.fritolay.ca.

Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC) is an association of organizations that work directly with women entrepreneurs. WEOC members support women entrepreneurs through a variety of services and initiatives, including business training, advising, financing, and mentorship. WEOC supports its members by providing learning and networking opportunities, sharing best practices, and curating a variety of resources so members have the tools needed to support their clients.

PepsiCo Foods Canada is comprised of the Frito Lay Canada and Quaker Canada businesses. The company employs over 6,000 Canadians with seven manufacturing plants and sales and distribution facilities from coast to coast. Frito Lay Canada is the country's largest snack food manufacturer and the company's brands include Lay's, Doritos, Tostitos, Ruffles, Smartfood and Cheetos. The Quaker brand portfolio includes a wide range of wholesome cereals, oatmeal, rice and corn snacks and snack bars, and features other prominent brands such as Quaker Life, Quaker Chewy, Quaker Harvest Crunch and Crispy Minis. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.ca.

Frito Lay North America is the $23 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Frito Lay snacks include Lay's® and Ruffles® potato chips, Doritos® and Tostitos® tortilla chips and branded dips, Cheetos® snacks, Stacy's® pita chips, PopCorners® popped-corn snack, SunChips® multigrain snacks and Fritos® corn chips. The company operates 30+ manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada, more than 200 distribution centers and services 315,000 retail customers per week through its direct-store-delivery model. Learn more about Frito Lay at the corporate website, www.fritolay.ca, on X (@fritolay), on Instagram (@fritolay) and on Facebook (Frito Lay).

SOURCE PepsiCo Foods Canada

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